Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy

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Research

Within the Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, structural and functional MRI techniques (high resolution 3D imaging, MR volumetry, fMRI, functional connectivity, DTI) are combined with neurophysiological methods (such as MEG, EEG, event-related potentials (ERP), synchronous oscillatory activity, fMRI constrained ERP source analysis), sophisticated neuropsychological assessments and -omics methods in order to study the relationships between genetics, morphology and function of the brain in different mental disorders. The main areas of our clinical research include the investigation of bipolar and depressive disorders, ADHD, dementia, and schizophrenia with a focus on developmental aspects. Our studies are supported by the DFG (e.g. CRC 1193), BMBF (e.g. BipoLife) and the EU (e.g. CoCA). Also, we are part of multi-center imaging studies such as the ENIMGA consortium.

In close collaboration with the Brain Imaging Center, the Dept. of Neuroradiology, and a number of other institutes, our main research interest is focused on multimodal investigation of neuronal network coordination as a basis for neuropsychological domains such as working memory, delay discounting or reward dependence. This is done in a trans-diagnostic approach and takes advantage of the integration of multiple scientific methods (genetics, neurochemistry, neuroimaging, etc.) being applied to multiple patient groups (e.g. subjects with ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or patients preclinical Alzheimer’s disease). Close collaboration with physicists and mathematicians ensures that always the newest and most advanced analytical methods and statistical procedures are available to be applied to the generated data.